Clinton continued to shine in the Bulldogs' postseason run to a potential three-peat by racing for five first-half touchdowns, many times his cuts making Patriots players gasping for air, as the Bulldogs shot to a 42-7 halftime lead.

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High school football playoffs

By that time, a message had been delivered in emphatic fashion.

Martinsburg will try to become the first Class AAA team since Charleston (1968-70) to win three straight Class AAA titles when they face Cabell Midland in the state championship game at noon next Saturday.

After crediting the offensive line, a typical Clinton starting point in post-game interviews, the quarterback said the Bulldogs were indeed trying to make a statement.

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Journal photos by Ron AgnirMartinsburg linebacker Eric Brown, middle, tackles George Washington running back Ryan Switzer as Martinsburg’s Dildeep Dhatt, left, and Dean DeSana, right, fight off blocks during the third quarter of their Class AAA state semifinal game Friday in Martinsburg. Below, the?Bulldogs’ Justin “Cookie” Clinton stiff-arms the Patriots’ Jordan Clay on his way to a touchdown.

Martinsburg defensive back Malique Watkins returns an interception before being tackled by George Washington’s Trever Bell during the third quarter of their?Class AAA state semifinal game Saturday in Martinsburg.

"We're going back to the Island to win another state title," Clinton said. "All season long we've heard George Washington was the best team in the state, and how good Ryan Switzer is. He is a great player, don't get me wrong, but we have some good players, too. And five of the best ones are right up front on our line. I think that was the difference right there."

Clinton had a little to do with that, as well. After setting the preliminary round record late in the third with his sixth rushing touchdown of the game, his postseason numbers ballooned to 587 yards rushing and 12 touchdowns in three games. He had 862 and 11 touchdowns in the regular season.

"We're not surprised by anything Cookie does," coach Dave Walker said. "We saw him do it in JV two years ago. Obviously, there is a step up. But he is really starting to understand our zone read system and what we are trying to do."

"But he has a lot of great players around him. He's got a great line, a stable of backs, athletes all over the field. I'll tell you what (Walker) has a great team over there. They were just bigger, stronger and faster than we were."

The offensive line of center Coy Jerkins, guards Mark Fries and Tyler Winston and tackles Eugene German and Clement Powell helped the Bulldogs rush for 344 yards in the contest.

Trey Boyd, in his third game since returning from an injury, had 82 yards and two touchdowns and Cedric Brown added a 16-yard rushing touchdown run in the fourth.

"All the credit goes to those guys up front," Boyd said. "We have the easy part."

Once again Martinsburg put the clamps on reigning Kennedy Award winner Ryan Switzer. He had 148 yards on 23 carries, well below his season average, with one touchdown. He did have 69 yards receiving as well and threw a touchdown pass to Trevor Bell on an option sweep.

"He's a really good player, and he is fast, but we did the job on him that we had to do," linebacker Jared Sartin said. "They made some plays but I thought we made more, and we made them when we had to make them."

By the time he did, Martinsburg had built a comfortable lead.

Clinton scored on a 35-yard run on Martinsburg's second possession.

Then the defense took over, when Malique Watkins intercepted a Trevor Bell pass and returned it to the Patriots' 13.

"I was just playing centerfield and he basically threw the ball right to me," Watkins said. "We always look for that one play to get us going. When we hit that spark, we really got rolling."

"That was a big play," Clinton said. "We got the ball back, scored quickly and we really started rolling."

Two plays later, Clinton scored from four yards out to make it 14-0.

After holding the Patriots on downs, Clinton scored on a 13-yard run.

Then, the defense stopped the Patriots again, and Martinsburg took over when the George Washington punter dropped the ball at the six and was swarmed under.

Two plays later Clinton scored on a 5-yard run to make it 28-0.

Clinton's 23-yard pass to Boyd and a 38-yard run set up a Boyd 3-yard run to make it 35-0.

The Patriots got on the board when Switzer scored from 14 yards out but Clinton, on fourth-and-1, answered with a 40-yard touchdown run with 16.5 left in the half.

Statement or not, the goal was achieved.

"I don't know if it was so much delivering a statement as it was just wanting to get back to the championship game," defensive end Dildeep Dhatt said. "That was our focus, just wanting to get back to Wheeling and we did that."

Martinsburg also shattered the school record for points for a season. The Bulldogs have scored 684 points, breaking the record of 649 scored in 2002.